DA2Brothers
by Banbha
Summary: What was supposed to be birthday wishes to Carver, turned out otherwise.


Title: Brothers  
>Author: CelticWolfwalker<br>Game: Dragon Age  
>characterspairing: M!Hawke/Carver Hawke

Garrett paced the front of the steps that led up to the Circle and Templar headquarters. Why was he here? Not like he and Carver were the best of friends or even on good terms. So, why risk his neck at the Gallows to see his brother? Merrill was an optimist if she thought things would turn out well in the end for the Hawke brothers. He raked his hands through the dark hair again, his steel blue eyes looking up at the imposing and horribly depressing façade of Kirkwall's Circle.

"You are an idiot for coming," he mumbled to himself. Mother had encouraged him to visit Carver, the Templar knight now, hoping that whatever anger or resentment still lingered could be worked out. Plus, it was Carver's and Bethany's birthday. Mother pushed the wrapped box of cookies into Garrett's hands and pushed him out the door. She even had the audacity to take his staff, saying it would be better to leave any indication of his apostate status behind.

"Brother?" Carver's voice called to him amongst the jumble of thoughts. There was a hint of surprise in it that Garrett would trouble to make a visit to the Gallows to see his least favorite sibling.

"Carver!" Garrett forced a smile on his face, adding a note of cheer to his voice.

"Where's mother?" Carver's same steel blue eyes narrowed.

"Visiting our most favorite uncle. Gamlen had some new cheese he 'invested' in that he wanted to try and swindle mother into becoming a partner entrepreneur."

"He never stops, does he?"

Garrett sighed dramatically. "Since I control the newfound wealth, he is always trying to find a way to snooker mother out of her share."

Carver rolled his eyes and stared back at his apostate brother. "Then why are you here, risking yourself, Garrett?"

"Um…" Garrett stopped whatever smart remark he was to make towards his brother and looked at his younger sibling. Carver had filled out from his Templar training, losing the baby fat of his youth and wearing the harder angles and rugged handsome looks that ran in the Hawke men. The surliness of his brother was still there but was belied by the wariness and constant flicking of his eyes around them. "I came to wish you happy birthday, Carver. If the knight-captain would so kind to let you out for a few hours, I do have something special to send off for Bethany." Garrett's voice quieted at the latter.

"Oh," Carver's body relaxed a little. "Are we going far?"

"Nah, just to the dock." Garrett gave a half-smile. "Of course, if Cullen thinks I'm going to try and corrupt their brightest templar, then I guess we need to protect your shining reputation."

"Garrett." Carver growled a warning, not liking the flippant tone. "I'm sure the knight-captain will let me spend a little time with my family. I do have some free time."

"Well…good."

The brothers walked away from the Circle and toward the post Cullen stood at during this time of the day, watching over the latest recruits as they practiced in the Gallows courtyard. The knight-captain nodded a greeting to them as they approached. Dismissing a young recruit, Cullen walked up to them.

"Ah, serrah Hawke, Carver,"

"Cullen, how is templar life treating you these days?" Garrett greeted.

"It's faring well. I hear a lot of good things that you are doing in Kirkwall, Hawke."

"Eh, I do what I always do. Helping the poor, weak, and helpless." Garrett grinned.

"And those that are happy to pay for his services." Carver grumbled.

"Ahem, yes, well, there are bills that have to be paid." Garrett rubbed the back of his neck. "Would you mind, knight-captain, if I take my brother down to the dock for a couple of hours? I promise to bring him back and in one piece and innocent."

"Uh," Cullen blinked at Garrett's flippant request, "I don't see a problem with that. Make sure he comes back in…one piece."

"Good!" Garrett clapped his hands with a loud smack that echoed in the courtyard. Carver sighed but held his tongue at his extravagant brother.

They walked across the courtyard toward the stairs down to the Gallows docks. It seemed like a lifetime ago that they had arrived on these same docks, clamoring with other refugees from Fereldan, for entrance into Kirkwall. Both men thought back on the time as they walked to the end, where it was less crowded and a pier sloped down towards the water of the harbor. Garrett grew silent as his thoughts took him back in time, to where they were a complete family, fleeing Lothering. Bethany was vivacious and good. Even with the despair and fear of the coming darkspawn, she faced it with bravery, not blinking twice going into battle with the foul creatures of the Deep Roads. Then that damned ogre picked up sweet Bethany and shook her like a rag doll, smashing her frail body to the ground, broken and lifeless.

That day had changed the Hawke family. Carver grieved for his twin in his own surly way but Garrett never showed his true feelings or how much it cut him when Bethany was lost to him. Nor did he let mother know how much her accusation had hurt him. He had silently promised himself that no other member of his family was going to lose their life so readily. Carver hated Garrett for casting him from the Deep Roads expedition but if Carver only understood, it was for the best. Garrett didn't want to lose his only brother to another senseless death. One darkspawn killed his sister, Garrett was damned if he was going to let another darkspawn do the same to his brother.

"This is rare." Carver broke the silence, watching the faraway look his brother had. "Garrett Hawke is silent and not spouting some witty remark or snide opinion."

Garrett looked at Carver, his eyes serious. "Carver, I didn't come here to fight with you. Believe it or not, I did come to wish you and Bethany a happy birthday."

"Bethany isn't with us!" Carver's nostrils flared.

"Isn't she?" Garrett bored his bright blue eyes into the matching pair. "She lives in my heart every day for the past four years. I wish every year at this time that I…" He paused, shaking his head and looking away.

"That you what, brother?" Carver asked harshly.

"Forget it." Garrett clenched his jaw.

"Like hell, Garrett." Carver snorted. "You think I don't miss Beth? Think that I don't wish she were here today, celebrating our birthday together? Well, I do! You don't know what it is like to lose your twin!"

"No, but I have lost a sister, Carver!" Garrett snapped. "My dear younger sister that I loved to pieces! Don't tell me that I don't have the same amount of affection for her than you did!"

"Then you wouldn't have let her run up that ogre! You should have let me go on the expedition so I could have had my vengeance on those foul creatures!" Carver shouted at his older sibling.

Garrett's eyes turned cold and hard, staring flatly at Carver. He didn't care that his brother was a templar and could easily drain his mana and bind him from using magic. The arrogant and snide young man blamed all his life failures and losses on Garrett. He had enough of being blamed for not doing what was beyond his ability.

"I'm sorry that I wasn't cognitive enough to step in front of Bethany before she ran toward that beast. Excuse me for paying heed to mother's wishes for once in not seeing another one of her children throw their life away on some childish quest to vanquish the nasty creatures that killed his twin." His voice was flat and cold. "All my actions and words have been for nothing but to preserve what is left of this damned family, as father would have wished!" Garrett bit out the last statement with such harshness that it made Carver flinch.

Garrett stared at the box in his hands and thrust it harshly at Carver. Looking at his brother one last time, he shook his head sadly and turned away from him. Nothing else needed to be said. Carver didn't understand what it meant to be the eldest, the scion of the family, having to shoulder the responsibilities of the family in that they were safe and provide for.

"Garrett…" Carver called to him meekly.

He stopped a moment, waiting for his younger brother to say something. Giving a soft snort when nothing came next, Garrett sighed. "For what it is worth, Carver, happy birthday."

With that said, Garrett continued to the ferry at the other end of the dock, wanting to be away from Carver and the oppressive bulk of the Gallows.


End file.
